1.12.05

These are some of the bizarre observations that the cultural department of the central committee, Demichov's office and the governing board made re: Solaris in January 1972. There were 35 alterations altogether, that they wanted Tarkovsky to make before allowing its general release.

3. What form of society was the starting point for Kelvin's flight- Socialism, Communism or Capitalism?

5. Cut out the concept of God.

12. As a scientist Sartorius lacks humanity.

13. Khari ought not to become a person.

18. How long did it take for the hero to complete his flight out, the return flight, and his work.

19. There should be a written introduction to the film (from Lem) explaining it all.

27. It is not made clear whether the Ocean is responsible for the situation.

28. Is science humane or not?

31. What is Solaris? And the visitors?

And my most favourite:

35. Take-home message: "There's no point in humanity dragging its shit from one end of the galaxy to the other."

Eventually Romanov came round and accepted the film without alterations (this series of events included mysterious unnamed high-ranking officials) in March 1972. In his diary, Tarkovsky figured that 'someone must have put the fear of God into him.'

5 Comments:

am i the only one who thinks that the most beuatiful thing about the film is the motorway sequence, right in the beginning? it's breathtaking.

watched it in a squatted church, Nunhead, exactly a year ago. I made stuffed vine-leaves just before I went over (my first time). It took the punks h-o-u-r-s to get the projector working (no surprise there) and it was mediavelly-freezing-cold. So they ended up not showing Nostalgia afterwards; still haven't seen it.

That ICA cinema is great. Last time I was there, an old man snored through 50 minutes of Brakhage. Which worked out well, the patterned ceramic close-ups were silent and in need of soundtracking.

The motorway sequence is beautiful, but it's mainly the weightlessness scene I can get rid of.

Lem wasn't fond of the motorway, or much of the adaptation: "he didn't make solaris at all, he made crime and punishment!" and uses words like "submerged in emotional sauce."

Which church did you see Solaris in? I know Nunhead pretty well, went to school nearby. 2 of my favourite places there are the metal shop with its signage, and the pie and mash shop where I first found out what liquor was.

the church was on inverton street. They were there for a while, then got evicted, and then somebody burnt the church down. Which even made it to the Evening Standard, 'neighbours miss squatters', surprise surprise, they're not all evil, etc etc.

Nunhead is a bit off focus on my mental map. Not a white patch, but patchy. It was on the wrong side of hill for me. Three years in London, and still haven't made it to the cemetry.